Chapter 189: The Slave Trade's Ugly Truth
Queen Otohime's mouth hung open in shock, words failing her.
This was the first time she'd learned that other tribes—demi-humans like her own merfolk—also paid brutal tribute to the World Government. And she had no doubt Ross was telling the truth. Her unique ability to sense lies offered no hint of deception. His words crushed her long-held illusions.
She'd always believed fish-men and mermaids were the only ones excluded from the human world, while other races lived in harmony with them. But Ross had just revealed the harsh reality: true racial equality had never existed.
"Know the going rate for mermaid or fish-man slaves?" Ross asked, noting her devastated expression. He decided to drive the point home. Transforming a naive idealist like Otohime required shattering her worldview. Only then could she see her efforts as futile—and grasp that following his lead might actually pave the way to equality someday.
After all, he was an egalitarian at heart. Under his rule, everyone would be equal... in subjugation.
"I... I have no idea," Otohime whispered, tears tracing down her cheeks as she bit her lip and shook her head.
She'd spent her life on Fish-Man Island, leaving only once to attend a Levely. The rest was this nightmare: her capture and forced exile. She knew some of her people fell into slavery, but the details? She'd buried them deep.
"Neither do I," Ross said casually.
Otohime looked up, startled. She'd assumed he was about to drop more unwelcome truths—harsh ones she needed to face, even if they stung. Despite his bluntness, she still saw him as a decent man, trying to help her see straight.
He wasn't dismissing her dreams; he was challenging her to ground them in reality. And deep down, she agreed. Blind efforts were worse than none at all.
"But ignorance isn't a barrier," Ross added with a shrug. He pulled out his Den Den Mushi and dialed without hesitation.
"What do you want?" The snail transformed into Doflamingo's smirking face, his signature "fufufu" chuckle echoing through.
"Doffy, how many slave shops are you running these days?"
"Sabaody Archipelago? Thanks to your little raid on the biggest auction house, I've got three now," Doflamingo replied, laughing. Backed by a real Celestial Dragon, he'd grown bolder. If Ross would let him flaunt the connection, he'd expand twice as fast. But even playing it safe, the perks were rolling in. What good was a powerful ally if you couldn't kneel and reap the rewards?
Otohime, overhearing the mention of Ross's raid, stared at him with newfound awe. A Celestial Dragon who'd shut down a slave market? He really was one of the good ones.
"What's the current market for slaves? Break it down for fish-men and mermaids," Ross pressed.
"Fufufu, you know I'm the expert," Doflamingo crowed, rattling off prices like a merchant's ledger. "Ordinary humans go wholesale at 100,000 Berries a head. Other tribes? 300,000. Fish-men, any gender, fetch 500,000. But mermaids? Prime ones start at 50 million—especially the young beauties with those tails. Post-30 mermaids, after their tails split into legs? They drop to 10 million. Not everyone's into the 'evolved' look; buyers prize that mermaid aesthetic."
"Split?" Ross echoed, arching a brow.
"You know—around 30, a mermaid's tail divides into legs. Kinda ruins the fantasy for some. That's why the 'mature' ones are a steal," Doflamingo explained, grinning. He figured Ross had company and was testing him. Whatever—boss's orders were boss's orders.
"Got it." Ross clicked off the line and glanced at Otohime. Her vibrant tail flicked nervously under his gaze, speeding up as if sensing his interest.
"Mr. Ross... it'll be two more years before my tail splits into legs," she murmured, cheeks flushing as her voice dropped to a whisper. His stare felt intrusive, but he was a good man, so she'd indulge his curiosity.
"Just wondering," Ross said, catching himself. Two years? He could bide his time. Besides, legs or no, some assets transcended anatomy.
"I understand—it's natural to wonder," Otohime replied softly, still blushing. "Ask anything; I'll answer."
Ross's mind wandered to more... intimate questions, like mermaid reproduction. But he shoved the thought aside. Timing mattered. Practice would reveal all soon enough.
"Let's get you out of that crate first," he said, eyeing the wooden box she'd been confined in. Their talk had been so intense, no one had bothered with it. "It's too confined. And things might get heavier from here—a better setup will help."
Otohime nodded, unbothered by her prison compared to the revelations. But if he insisted... "Mr. Ross, I rarely venture on land. I'll be slow..."
She started to hoist herself out, her frail body straining. Weaker than most merfolk—fragile as a human, really. One wrong punch, and her bones would shatter.
"Easy," Ross interrupted. With a casual wave, a surge of water materialized, slamming into the crate.
"Ah!" Otohime yelped as the wood splintered apart.
In an instant, a massive cube of seawater formed around her—ten meters in every direction. For her, it was a spacious pool. For the colossal ship they sailed on, just a puddle. Even Moria, if he noticed, wouldn't dare complain.
"Incredible!" Otohime gasped, her eyes wide at the sudden aquatic haven. Her body darted through the water like a darting fish, covering meters in a blink. Merfolk instinct at work—effortless as breathing, amplified by their strength. But Otohime's constitution was no match for prolonged exertion; she surfaced panting after mere seconds of play, breathless and exhilarated.
Ross watched with a faint smile, the weight of their conversation lingering. Her illusions were crumbling, but so was the first step toward something real. Equality under his vision wasn't a dream—it was a promise, forged in the fires of truth.
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